Balance of Power: A Novel Read Online Free PDF

know.”
    “What’s the plan?”
    Bradford shook his head. “Don’t have one. We’re waiting for instructions from the National Command Authority, but you can bet we’ll be doing something soon. In the meanwhile, we’re already headed west at flank speed.”
    The COs looked at each other. Caskey was the first to speak. “Not really much the air wing can do. We can’t exactly attack them. Sounds like a job for the SEALs.”
    Bradford nodded. “My feelings exactly. But I thought we should do a fly-by first, to let them know we’re in the area. Let them know anything they do from now on will get them in deep kimchi.”
    “Won’t that tell them there’s a battle group around, that we may try something?” said Dave “Drunk” Driver, CO of VFA-136, one of the two F/A-18C squadrons.
    Bradford shrugged. “Maybe. But I’d rather let them know we’re here, and that we’re going to spank ’em if they do anything stupid.”
    The COs nodded.
    “Who can get to them first?”
    Caskey raised his hand. “The F-18s can get there at the same time the F-14s can, Captain, but we can also get back .” Caskey smiled, poking at the weak point of the F/A-18C: its constant need for more fuel.
    “With the proper tanking assets…” said Drunk Driver defensively.
    Bradford interposed. “No, this is a job for the F-14. I want a TARPS bird to go so we can get some pictures,” he said, thinking of the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System that the F-14 could carry to act as a reconnaissance plane. “But they may have shoulder-fired SAMs; we don’t need to lose an airplane. I want you to do a supersonic fly-by too. Let them know we mean business.”
    Caskey shook his head. “Can’t do both. You want TARPS or supersonic?”
    “Can you take a hand-held camera with you?”
    “Sure. Messer’s great at that. We win ‘photo of the week’ all the time.”
    “Okay. No TARPS.”
    “Roger supersonic,” Caskey said. “Are we waiting for approval before we go?”
    “Absolutely,” said Bradford. “Right now the rest of the flight schedule is canceled. The Constitution is heading west at flank speed with the rest of the battle group that can keep up. We’ll launch as soon as we’re close enough and when we have approval. In the meantime, the SEALs on the Wasp are getting ready, and the Marines are on alert as well. We’re not sure how this is going to go, so stay loose.” He looked at Caskey. “MC, I want you to fly this mission yourself. I don’t want anyone to screw it up.”
    “Roger that,” Caskey replied, feeling a rush of adrenaline. “When do you want us to go?”
    “I’m not sure.” He turned to the PLAT. The Pilot Landing Assistance Television in every ready room and in CVIC had a continuous readout of the ship’s latitude and longitude. He memorized the numbers and crossed to a wall chart. The ship was north of Bali, heading west at thirty-plus knots. “I’d say we’ll launch in about two hours. But before that, I want every up S-3 we’ve got outthere looking for this ship.” The S-3B, a Viking of VS-31, a hefty two-engine antisubmarine airplane, was well established as the best airplane on the carrier for surface surveillance because of its excellent radar and its ability to stay airborne for a long time. “We have no idea where she went after leaving Jakarta.”
    Caskey looked at the chart and nodded. “I’ll be ready.” He looked at his air wing commander. “Flight of two?”
    “Yes. One for cover in case anything happens we’re not expecting. I want the E-2 airborne too, to keep radar coverage of the entire area, as well as a section of F/A-18s in case somebody else shows up we’re not expecting. Could be a surface ship or two involved in this. We’ve been trying to reach the ship ever since we got the distress call, but there’s no response. We don’t know if they don’t want to talk or if the radio was destroyed.”
    “What kind of radars they got?” Caskey asked. “Any